Ethnobotany

Keeping the Rope Straight

Annie was the daughter of the great Navajo leader, Chee Dodge. On his deathbed, he counseled his children to "keep my rope straight," which meant to continue to look after the welfare of their people. Annie served on the Navajo Tribal Council for 26 years. She played an important role in bringing tuberculosis under control on the Reservation by bringing the white doctors and the tribal medicine healers together to treat the Navajos.

Annie Dodge Wauneka was outspoken, energetic, creative, feared and loved. Her story is illustrated with 33 photographs, some of which, taken by a Life magazine photographer, are being published for the first time.Although written for middle-school readers, the writing and the story are complex enough to be enjoyed by adults.